Tibetan Self-Immolation Protests Continue with Fatal Double Immolation

Two more Tibetans have set themselves aflame in protest of Communist Chinese rule, this time in the eastern Tibetan town of Zathod. The latest self-immolators are two males in their early 20s, Tenzin Kaldrup and Nyawang Norpal. Kaldrup died at the scene and Norpal is a critical condition.

 

The string of self-immolation protests by Tibetans began in March of last year. Activist Tenzin Tsundue says it reflects rising anger of Tibetan youths against the Chinese regime.

 

[Tenzin Tsundue, President, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress]: 

"This comes together making 42 cases of self-immolations up till today and Tibetans both inside and outside, all of us are concerned about this and we always fear when the next self-immolation is going to happen and of course, we continue to demand from the Chinese government to withdraw their occupation from Tibet. It is that occupation which is suffocating and driving the Tibetans to take their own lives."

 

Chinese authorities say Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is inciting the self-immolations. The Dalai Lama denies this, and accuses the regime of overseeing a "cultural genocide" against Tibetans.